Reducing health and safety risks in the workplace is one of your primary responsibilities as an employer. When your personnel turn up to perform their duties, they have a right to expect that their wellbeing will be protected. Meanwhile, if safety standards are allowed to slip and your staff members suffer injuries or develop illnesses as a result, the consequences could be disastrous for the individuals involved and for your business as a whole. With this in mind, here are some effective ways to boost safety standards in your organisation.
Provide your personnel with the best possible training
Suitable training is essential if you’re to control dangers. Everyone who works for you, including contractors and the self-employed, must be provided with training and information on any dangers they may face, the measures that are in place to mitigate these risks and how to follow emergency procedures. This training should be given during working hours and it must not be paid for by your employees.
Bear in mind that, depending on the nature of the work that your staff members do, you might benefit from enlisting the help of specialist safety trainers. Courses are available in a whole range of topics. For example, as training provider Phoenix notes, it’s possible to book NEBOSH courses that focus on everything from fire safety to risk management in the construction industry.
Conduct a thorough risk assessment
Risk assessments are also key. These analyses should consider all the things that could cause harm in your workplace, and the people who may be affected by these dangers. In addition to your employees, the assessments should cover members of the public and anyone who shares your workspace. Bear in mind that certain people may be in greater danger than others. For example, new or young staff members could face additional risks, as could contractors who are not familiar with your working practices. Of course, as well as identifying hazards, these reports must detail suitable control measures.
It’s crucial that you record your findings too, and make sure you update these assessments on a regular basis. After all, the risks facing your employees may change if you adopt different working practices, bring in new equipment or modify your work area.
Use suitable safety signage
Another important aspect of safety management is signage. You must provide signs to draw people’s attention to any significant risks that can’t be avoided or controlled in any other way. For example, you may need to use road traffic signs to regulate the movement of vehicles. To avoid confusion, make sure you explain any unfamiliar signs to your personnel.
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of the safety measures your firm has to implement, but it does cover many of the most fundamental aspects of risk control.
Use suitable safety signage and protection
Another important aspect of safety management is the signage and the protective barriers. You must provide signs to draw people’s attention to any significant risks that can’t be avoided or controlled in any other way. For example, you may need to use road traffic signs to regulate the movement of vehicles. To avoid confusion, make sure you explain any unfamiliar signs to your personnel. Barriers need to be in place if your staff are working near dangerous equipment. Equally important is taking care of staff in outdoor spaces such as car parks where potentially fatal accidents can occur – properly designed car park barriers provided by a specialist company is the safest approach.
